Construction of buildings



(No Model.)

B. L. RANDALL. CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS. No. 311,677. Patented Feb. 3,1885.

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WITNESSES:

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ELISHA L. RANDALL, OF DURAND, WISCONSIN.

CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,677, dated February 3, 1885.

Application filed May 12, 1884.

T0 at whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELisnA L. RANDALL, of Durand, in the county of Pepin and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Construction of Buildings, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to build dwellings and other structures of similar character that will be proof against decay, tornadoes, and floods; and to that end it consists in the novel construction hereinafter described, whereby the walls, ceilings, floors, roofs, and partitions are built solid of plank made impervious to the influence of the atmosphere by treatment with coal-tar.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, wherein a building of my improved construction is shown by a vertical section.

I make use of plank of any suitable width or thickness-say two inches thick and six inches wide -for an ordinary building, and the planks are to be well seasoned and saturated with coal-tar applied hot before the lumber is used. \Vide foundation-planks are first laid at the bottom of the cellar, as shown at a, and upon these the narrower planks are laid to form the side walls, I). As each course is laid it is to be covered by a thin layer of coaltar and ashes and spiked down securely, so as to form practically solid walls. The partitions c are to be built up in the same manner. At each story the walls are formed with flanges or oll'sets (I, made by the use of wider plank, for the support of the floors e, which are thus supported at each wall. The floors are put in as each story is raised, and are formed by planks or timbers placed on edge and securely spiked to each other. The foundation-planks a support the cellar-floor, and they also project outside the walls, so as to receive stonework or earth upon them for holding the building down. The ceiling of the upper rooms is formed in the same manner as the doors, and a slanting or other form of roof, f, is constructed in the same manner as the floors and fastened down by spikes or other means. The roof is also (N0 model.)

covered with coal-tar and ashes. Metal cornices may be applied to the roof, if desired.

. In making the offsets cl for the floors I prefer to make them the thickness of two planks, the lower one being narrower, so as to form a cornice around the room. Chimneys are formed by following the same method of con struction, and coated inside with coal-tar and ashes.

For ornamental finish the building may be painted inside and out, or the outside can be finished in imitation of brick or stone.

It will be seen that this building is thorough ly tied together and braced in all its parts, so that collapse or spreading of the walls is pre vented. It cannot be destroyed by wind except it be torn apart plank by plank. Neither can it be' upset nor carried off by floods. The walls being solid, there is no chance for fire to spread, and the decay which occurs so rapidly in ordinary wooden houses is prevented by the treatment of the lumber with coaltar, as described.

This principle of construction may be carried out in dwelling-houses, business structures, public buildings, or any structure of similar characterl Having thus described my invention, whatI claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v 1. A building constructed substantiallyas herein shown and describedthat is, with walls, floors, and partitions formed solid ot plank in courses, coated with coal-tar, and spiked together, as specified.

2. In a buildingthe foundations a, ofplank,

supporting solid walls of the same construction, and extending outside, for the purpose as specified.

3. In a building having solid walls of plank in courses, the solid plank floors 6, supported by offsets or flanges on the walls, substantially as described.

ELISHA L. RANDALL.

Witnesses:

J. B. HUNT, P. F. SHAW. 

